Firearm.



PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

J. J. MURPHY.

FIREARM. APPLIOATION'FILED APB.9.1906.

Urrnn sra rns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. MURPHY, OF NORIVICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOPKINS & ALLEN ARMS CO., OF NORWICH,

CONNECTICUT.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed April 9,1906. Serial No. 310,629.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

V citizen of the United States, residing at N or wich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fire arms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to safety devices for fire arms and particularly for hammerless revolvers, and said invention has for its chief objects to provide means for preventing the accidental or unintentional discharge of such arms and also to improve the outline design of such arms by making it possible to cut down the top portion of the breech-frame without interfering with the movements of the concealed hammer, as I will explain more fully later.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the novel features of my invention, Figure 1 being a side elevation of the breech-frame of a hammerless revolver embodying my present improvement, a portion of said frame being broken away to disclose more clearly the internal construction. In this view the safety lever is shown in its operative position in full lines and in its inoperative position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a similar view of that portion of the frame in which the lock-w or k is located showing the safety lever moved out of its operative position.

My said improvement is in that class of safety devices which include a movable lock or catch mounted in the upper part of the breech-frame and having a stop shoulder which lies normally in the path of the hammer, thus preventing the accidental cocking of said hammer by means of the trigger. When, however, it is desired to discharge the arm the said catch may be readily moved out of its operative or locking position.

In the annexed drawings the letter a indicates the breech-frame of a revolver and b the hammer mounted in said frame on a pivot screw 0 in the usual manner, as my present invention does not contemplate any change in the lock mechanism proper.

In the production of frame a its upper portion is cut through as at a providing an elongated. opening through which the hammer may be inserted in the frame, thus avoiding the use and expense of a removable side plate. Within the opening a I place a closure in the form of a lever 01 whose front end is hinged to frame a, as seen at d the said closurebeing thus adapted to be raised out of the opening a as in Fig. 2.

The rear end of the closure d is formed with a projection (Z that serves as a thumb-piece by means of which the said closure may be raised when it is desired to discharge the arm, and the lower edge (1 of said projection serves as a stop or abutment to properly locate the closure in the breech-frame. Said rear end is also formed with depressions d and d the former of which is engaged by a spring-pressed plunger 6, in frame a, when the closure cl is opened as in Fig. 2, and the latter named depression (61 is engaged by said plunger when the closure is closed in the frame opening, as in Fig. 1 the said plunger providing a degree of frictional resistance sufficient to hold the closure opened or closed, as the case may be. The inner edge of the closure (1 is formed with a shoulder d which lies immediatelybehind the hammer when the closure is closed (see Fig. 1) and thus prevents the hammer from being cocked until the said shoulder is swung out of the path of the hammer (see Fig. 2). After firing the arm the closure d is forced downward into the opening a closing said opening to prevent the entrance of dirt &c, and also'effectually locking the hammer against accidental discharge. It will thus be seen that my described device, serves the double purpose of closure and lock. It also makes it possible to improve the outline appearance of the arm by permitting the upper part of said frame to be cut-down lower than would be practicable in a solid top frame.

Having described my invention I claim In a hammerless fire arm, a breech-frame formed with an opening in its upper portion to receive the hammer, a closure pivoted at its front end to the breech-frame and located normally in said opening, said closure formed with an abutment up on its under side to lie in the path of the hammer when the closure is closed, and at its rear end formed with a thumb piece and stop, and with depressions, and a spring-pressed device adapted to directly engage said projections to hold the closure in its open or closed position.

JOHN J. MURPHY. Witnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, MADELINE D. RrroHiE.

ICC 

